Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski on Thursday announced the list
of preliminary award winners for the 2003 Alaska Salmon Marketing
Grant Program being administered by the Department of Community
& Economic Development. The awards are part of the Governor's
$50 million Fisheries Revitalization Strategy, a multi-year,
multi-level plan that includes, among other things, an aggressive,
international marketing program for wild Alaska salmon.

"This marketing grant program is designed to support the
salmon industry's best thinking to expand existing markets and
support emerging product forms," said Murkowski.

The matching grants were available
to three categories of applicants. In the "major" category,
the state is providing $7.4 million for projects to move large
volumes of salmon, particularly pink salmon. In the "mini"
category, the state will seek to provide $1.3 million. In the
"micro" category, the state is proposing approximately
$260,000 in projects funded.

Grants were open to Alaska
businesses with a fisheries business license. Businesses without
the fisheries business license could apply as a co-applicant
with businesses holding the appropriate license. Match requirements
ranging from 25 percent to 50 percent based on the applicant
category. The State of Alaska received more than 115 grants requesting
in excess of $20 million.

Projects receiving funding
ranged from under $3,000 for support of fishermen marketing activities
to over $1 million for a pink salmon burger promotion. All awards
are preliminary and subject to negotiation. Several applications
remain under consideration by the Department.